Ticket Training Tuesday Getting Paid

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Ticket Training Tuesday Getting Paid

• Serving as an Employment Network
• in the
• Ticket to Work and
• Self-Sufficiency Program

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Welcome

• Thank you for joining us for the
• EN Ticket Training Tuesdays Series.
• We look forward to working together.

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Agenda

• EN Payment Overview The Basics
• Requesting EN Payments
• Getting Paid
• Common Challenges
• EN Promising Practices

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EN Payment Overview

• The Basics

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Roles and Responsibilities

• Employment Networks Submit evidence of
  Ticket-holders earnings for each month for which
  they are requesting payment
• MAXIMUS Processes EN payment requests, provides
  training, resources, and technical assistance
• Social Security Administration Verifies
  beneficiary earnings/benefits, and authorizes or
  denies payment

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Two Payment Options for ENs

• ENs select one of the following payment options
  when entering into an agreement with the Social
  Security Administration
• Outcome Payment Option
• Outcome-Milestone Payment Option
• Payment method can be changed
• Once during the first 12 months of having EN
  status
• In subsequent 18 month periods during open
  periods provided by the Social Security
  Administration

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Outcome Revenue Potential
For further explanation of the Final Regulations
for the SSA Ticket to Work Program, please visit
www.ssa.gov/regulations. Split EN payments are
possible.
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Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)

• Earnings amount SSA uses to consider if someone
  is eligible for benefits used for Milestone
  Payment Method
• Social Security Act specifies a higher SGA amount
  for statutorily blind individuals Federal
  regulations specify a lower SGA amount for
  non-blind individuals
• Both SGA amounts increase with national average
  wage index
• 2007 monthly SGA amount for non-blind individuals
  is 900
• 2007 monthly SGA amount for statutorily blind
  individuals is 1,500

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Outcome-Milestone Revenue Potential
For further explanation of the Final Regulations
for the SSA Ticket to Work Program, please visit
www.ssa.gov/regulations. Split EN payments are
possible.
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Requesting EN Payments

• The Basics

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Requesting Payments

• When to Request Payments
• When the Ticket-holder has attained the level of
  earnings necessary for the Employment Network to
  qualify for payment
• See Guide to Requesting Payments
• What to Submit
• Payment Request Form available from the
  Operations Support Manager (or information
  requested in the form) and evidence of
  Ticket-holders earnings
• New Certification Payment Request Options
• Once an Outcome Payment has been received by an
  Employment Network, there are options available
  regarding submitting evidence of earnings
• See Certification Payment Request Options

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Payment Request Options

• Evidentiary Payment Request Option
• Option 1 Monthly EN Evidentiary Payment Request
  Process
• Certification Payment Options
• Option 2 Quarterly EN Certification Payment
  Request Process
• Option 3 Monthly EN Certification Payment
  Request Process
• Option 4 Monthly Payment Followed by Quarterly
  Certification Request Process

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Option 1
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Evidence of Earnings

• Pay stubs
• Earnings statement prepared and signed by
  employer
• Original employee-prepared earnings statement
  signed by the beneficiary and mailed to MAXIMUS
• W-2
• Federal/State tax return
• Records from third-party source (i.e., State
  Unemployment Insurance, union records, other)
• Verifiable employees business records for those
  self-employed

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Payment Request Requirementswww.yourtickettowork.
com/payment_options

• EN Organization Name
• EIN
• Beneficiary Name
• Beneficiary Social Security Number
• Payment Option
• Earnings Documentation
• Employers Name
• Contact Information for the Employment Network
  Representative Submitting Request

• Earnings Evidence Table Including
• Payment Claim Month
• Pay Period Beginning
• Pay Period Ending
• Pay Date
• Hours Worked
• Hourly Rate
• Total Gross Earnings
• Year-to-Date Gross Earnings

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Option 2
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Example

• EN has been in contact with Ticket-holder (or
  Ticket-holders employer)
• EN knows Ticket-holder has earned enough in each
  of the past 3 months to replace his cash benefit,
  but doesnt have pay stubs on file
• EN uses this option to request Outcome payments
  for Ticket-holder for the past 3 months
• EN would then be paid for those months provided
  that Social Securitys records contain no
  information that would suggest that a federal
  cash disability benefit is due

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Option 3
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Option 4a
Please note that contact should be made during
that month when the EN requests payments for the
next 3 months.
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Example

• In January, EN submits a payment request under
  Option 4a for the months of February, March and
  April
• EN requests to be paid for the months of
  February, March, and April because Ticket-holder
  is now working and is expected to continue
  working at that required wage level or higher
  during those months
• EN would then receive a monthly payment for each
  month of the quarter provided Social Securitys
  records contain no information that would suggest
  that a Federal cash disability-based payment was
  due

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Option 4b
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Example

• EN submitted in January for payment for the
  months of February, March and April
• Request to be paid for May, June and July
• Submits request between May 1-15th
• Make contact for first-hand specific knowledge
  during February-April or in early May

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(No Transcript)
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Firsthand Specific Knowledge

• Evidence of firsthand specific knowledge that a
  Ticket-holder is continuing to work at a level
  that will preclude the payment of Federal cash
  disability-based payments from the Social
  Security Administration could include the
  following
• Dated discussion with the Ticket-holder
• Dated discussion with the Ticket-holders
  employer
• Documentation from the Ticket-holder or employer

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Payment Status Reports

• Monthly status reports of all EN Payment Requests
  submitted to MAXIMUS
• Available on the 15th of each month and reflect
  activity for the previous month, as well as
  year-to-date payment data
• Available in either printed or electronic format
• Includes the date each payment request was
  received by MAXIMUS, beneficiary name, payment
  option, dollar amount paid, claim month(s), and
  the status of each payment request submitted
• www.yourtickettowork.com/payment_options

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EN Help Desk

• New SSA service to assist ENs to follow up on
  outstanding EN payment requests
• Use if more than 30 days have passed since
  payment request was sent to SSA for payment
  consideration
• Email to EN.HelpDesk_at_ssa.gov or fax to
  410-597-1577
• Include
• Beneficiarys SSN only (not name)
• Specific payment request (e.g. Milestone 2,
  Outcome 6, etc.)
• Date of request submitted to SSA, available from
  MAXIMUS by phone or via EN Payment Status Report

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PAID system

• Developed by the U.S. Department of the
  Treasury's Financial Management Service
• Provides participating Federal agencies
  (including SSA) a method of making remittance
  information available to their vendors through
  the Internet.
• Match recently deposited EN payments to your
  records prior to receiving statements from the
  Social Security Administration.
• Free of charge to registered vendors with
  Internet access, and is free of charge to
  participating Federal agencies.
• Visit the web site at https//fmsapps.treas.gov/pa
  id/

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Getting Paid

• Common Challenges
• Promising Practices

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Situations That Can Prevent or Delay EN Payment

• Insufficient/illegible evidence that the Outcome
  or Milestone was achieved
• Beneficiary did not report his/her earnings to
  Social Security Administration
• More than one EN submits a request for payment
  for the same month/beneficiary

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Five Most Common Payment Request Problems and
Solutions

• Incomplete earnings evidence submitted
• Solution Understand evidence requirements prior
  to submitting payment requests to avoid delays
• No payment request submitted
• Solution Review payment request prior to
  submission to ensure completed request form is
  attached
• Ineligible for payment (Ticket not assigned)
• Solution If the EN did not receive a
  confirmation of Ticket assignment from MAXIMUS,
  chances are the Ticket is not assigned. Contact
  MAXIMUS if unsure.

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Five Most Common Payment Request Problems and
Solutions (contd)

• Change in payment method selection
• Solution None not retroactive to previously
  processed payment requests
• Payment check returned to Social Security
  Administration
• Solution Periodically verify that bank
  information is correct (not less than annually on
  the Annual Periodic Outcome Report)

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Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA)
Consultation

• Recommend or require WIPA consultation to ensure
  that clients understand the impact of work on
  benefits
• Utilize benefits specialists on staff
• Invite WIPAs to orientations

• Volunteers of America of North Louisiana
• The Beacon Group
• Challenge Industries
• Hope Haven
• The Resource Partnership

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Terms and Conditions

• Explain IWP, terms, conditions, and expectations
  to Ticket-holders
• Develop habit of submitting documentation

• Relational DataSearch
• The Resource Partnership
• TE Placement Services

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Tracking and Follow-up

• Conduct routine follow-up for information and
  support
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Quarterly
• Annually
• Partners, subcontractors
• Commercial tools
• Existing tools required for other programs
  including state government, Workforce Investment
  Act system

• Builders for Family and Youth
• Urban League of Greater Hartford
• Community Resources
• RTW Services
• Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest

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Releases

• Require Ticket-holders to sign release of
  earnings forms upon Ticket assignment
• Retrieve proof of earnings directly from
  employers or the Social Security Administration
  if necessary

• Hope Haven
• Goodwill of the Inland Northwest
• JobStarts
• TE Placement Services

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Employer Services

• Seek out employer services that allow ENs to
  easily retrieve proof of earnings (The Work
  Number, employer Web sites such as those of
  Target and Wal-Mart)

• Tulare County Office of Education
• Opportunity Services

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Incentives and Recognition

• Offer financial incentives to beneficiaries who
  submit earnings documentation
• Recognize Ticket-holders and allow them to share
  their success in newsletters or at events

• The Employment Alliance
• Vivian C. Hendricks Associates
• JobStarts
• Wright Education Services

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EN Payment Resources Available at
www.yourtickettowork.com/payment_options

• Understanding EN Payment Options
• EN Payments at a Glance
• EN Payment Request Options Summary
• Payment Request Guide
• Payment Request Form
• EN Payment Status Report Request Form

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Payments Made to Date(as of April 27, 2007)
Total Payments Made 24,275 Beneficiaries for
Whom Payments Were Made 2,923 Total Payments
8,197,072.71 http//www.yourtickettowork.com/paym
ent_options
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Contact Us

• MAXIMUS Ticket to Work
• 1-866-968-7842 Toll Free
• 1-866-833-2967 TDD
• www.yourtickettowork.com
• ENOperations_at_yourtickettowork.com

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Questions?